Chris Perkins, Franklin Templeton | From Iraq to Wall Street to Crypto

“Technology is not political. It’s just technology.” In this episode of Searching for Mana, Lloyd Wahed is joined by Chris Perkins, Head of Franklin Crypto at Franklin Templeton. Chris’ path into digital assets spans the US Marine Corps, 15 years on Wall Street, and senior roles across crypto, including as President at CoinFund, before stepping into one of the most significant institutional roles in the space. Following Franklin Templeton’s acquisition of 250 Digital, a CoinFund spinoff housing its liquid crypto strategies, Chris now leads the newly formed Franklin Crypto unit, bringing together crypto-native expertise with one of the largest global distribution platforms. The conversation focuses on what has changed. While digital assets are still often framed through volatility and cycles, the more important shift is structural. Institutional capital is moving in, and with it comes a different set of requirements around scale, governance, and distribution. Chris explains why this moment represents an inflection point, and why the next phase of the market will be defined less by ideology and more by execution. They discuss: why institutions are stepping into crypto now, and what has changed how tokenisation is reshaping market structure, from 24/7 trading to global access the role of governance, controls, and regulation in unlocking capital why distribution remains the missing layer across the ecosystem Chris also reflects on the principles that guide his approach, from operating in high-stakes environments to building within regulated financial systems, and how that informs his view on risk, technology, and long-term market structure. Follow on X:Chris Perkins: @perkinscr97Franklin Templeton Digital Assets: @FTDA_USLloyd Wahed: @lloydwahed Please Like and Subscribe! https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/searching-for-mana-with-lloyd-wahed/id1491460738 https://open.spotify.com/show/3HmB7fS60zRSvWq3sQgj3X?si=a8aae116ba4d4ebb https://www.youtube.com/@searchingformanapodcast